Patent GB-385301-A (GB)
Abstract: 385,301. Timing races &c. SIEMENS BROS. & CO., Ltd., Caxton House, Tothill Street, HUMPHRIES, H. E., 61, Woodville Road, Blackheath, and DIXON, R. G., 162, Westmount Road, Eltham Park, all in London. June 15, 1931, No. 17326. [Class 106 (iv).] For measuring or comparing with a known time standard, the duration of an event particularly the time taken by an object to traverse a given distance, circuit selecting parts adapted to be electrically advanced at a predetermined rate by timed impulses are set in motion at the beginning of the event and stopped at the expiration thereof or after the expiration of the standard time whereupon circuits are closed by the parts to indicate visually the elapsed time or the expiration of the standard time. The apparatus is described as used for " speedway " racing in which lap and mile timing, as well as pacing for record purposes are necessary. For timing, signals are relayed to the apparatus at the beginning and end of each lap, the lap times being displayed in succession for a shortinterval, followed by the time of the race, for example four laps. For pacing, a signal is relayed at the beginning of the race whereupon lamps spaced equidistantly round the course are automatically lighted or extinguished in succession to exhibit progress at record or other predetermined speed. The necessary starting and stopping signals are relayed to the timers and pacers from a photo-electric cell operated by the passage of a rider past the starting post which is also the finishing post. The pacers and timers comprise rotary line telephone switches (steppers) adapted to be advanced twenty-five steps per second by impulses obtained from an electrically maintained tuning fork. Preparatory operations. The apparatus comprises units 1 .. 17 named and interconnected as shown in Fig. 18. When the mains current is switched on the fork is mechanically started and various units may operate in accordance with the key settings (left from the previous race) in the control cabinet, Fig. 11. An automatic start switch SAC is now operated, energizing relays AQ, AP in the automatic start unit, Fig. 2. Relay AP, at ap1 energizes the track unit, Fig. 12, comprising the photoelectric signalling means, and relay AQ causes the stepper ADS(i) .. (vi) to step and routine test relays AQ, AS ; AZ ; the rectifier in unit 12 ; relays AH; AJ; AA; AB ; AD ; AF ; AC, AD ; AE, AF ; AZ ; AD ; AF ; AY in its successive positions, coming to rest in position twenty with relays AY, AS operated. The master check key KMC, Figs. 1 and 11, is now momentarily depressed causing the stepper PCS of the master checker, Fig. 1, to step from normal to position six. During this stepping period a relay PJ is energized, de-energizing relays AS, AY in the starting unit, Fig. 2, which thereupon steps to normal and again routine tests itself as above. Relay PJ also energizes a relay CD, Fig. 3, causing - the sequence control stepper CAS(i) .. (v) to routine test itself and return to normal. During this test the polarized relays COT, COC, CEC, CAA, CMT, CMC, CET, CA (indicated by a diagonal line, which rest in positions to which they were last operated) are returned to their " full positions, and the timers, Fig. 4, one for mile and two for lap working, are also zeroized. The stepping circuit of PCS, Fig. 1, from positions six to seventeen is over lines 1À0109..2À0102 and bank PCS(i). These lines are connected to the various units 2, 3 .. which when normal connect +ve thereto, so that normally PCS steps to position eighteen, when the all set lamp LAS glows in unit 11. If any unit is not at normal PCS will come to rest on the corresponding bank contact and the appropriate lamp L9 .. L2, Fig. 11, will glow to indicate the faulty unit. When the fault is removed PCS steps to position eighteen. Race operations. For a mile race (four laps) a switch SMO, Fig. 11, is operated to energize a relay CMO, Fig. 3, and as the riders approach the starting line a key KSC is depressed. The SP photo-cell, Fig. 12, is operated as the first rider crosses the starting line and momentarily releases relay AB Fig. 2, (normally operated), whereupon relays AC, AD operate over a circuit KCS, 1À0211, aq3 (operated) and ab1 at rest. Over ac1, ay2, aq2, Fig. 2, a pulse is sent over line 1À0203 to the sequence controller, Fig. 3, operating windings (I) of relays CA, CAA, CMT, CMC. Contacts caa1 (" dotted ") now pulse relays CFA, CFB from the fork contacts bf3, and cmt1 (" dotted ") relays impulses to the mile timer over contacts cfb1. Contacts cal close to step CAS to position two where a relay MB in the delay unit, Fig. 6, is energized. Over bank CAS(v) +ve is connected to line 3À0103, the master checker 1 now stepping to normal. Stepper CAS is delayed in position two in which wiper CAS(ii) is disconnected, to prevent further pulses over line 1À0203, due to further operation of the SP photo-cell, from affecting the sequence controller. After the delay period (2 seconds) measured by the delay unit 6 +ve over line 2À0306 operates winding (II) of relay CA to step CAS to position three, where it remains until the end of the race. Key KCS is again operated as the winning rider approaches the SP post at the last lap, relay AB is again pulsed as the post is passed, the consequent impulse over line 1À0203 pulsing relay CA winding (I) to step CAS to position four and pulsing CMT winding (11) to stop the mile timer. False start. A further photo-cell unit DL, Fig. 12, is arranged to be operated, to release the normally operated relay AA, Fig. 2, by riders passing a line a predetermined distance in advance of the SP post. For a correct start this line must be passed by all riders before the SP post is reached, the release of AA in this case having no effect. Should the riders be out of line so that relay AA again releases simultaneously with or after AB, a relay AF operates over ad1 (" dotted") ae1, az4, and over af 1 (" dotted "), ay3 (operated), energizes series relays PZ, Fig. 2, and PY, Fig. 1. The former operates a suitable alarm and the latter resets units 2 and 3 as described above by means of relay PJ. The DL unit may be rendered inoperative by closing a switch SDL, Fig. 11, to operate a relay AN, Fig. 2, cutting out relay AE. Normally relay AN operates over ADS(vi) in position forty-nine to which the latter proceeds by self drive when relays AC, AD operate. Timing. The impulses over cmt1, cfbl, Fig. 3, and line 1À0304, Fig. 4, step switches DAS, DBS .. DES in turn through twenty-five steps, stepper DFS stepping at each second to distribute the impulses to DAS, .. in turn. The maximum time allowable for a mile is one hundred seconds equivalent to two complete revolutions of DFS. At the end of the first revolution thereof a relay DY is energized over DFS(iv) and DES(iii) and should a second revolution be accomplished a relay DZ operates to energize relay CMT winding (II) over dz2, thereby stopping further impulses to the timer, and at dz3 removing the display. Display. The display is given as a four digit number, the seconds, tens and units, and the fractional tens and units, shown in twentyfifths of a second. The tens display is controlled from banks DFS(v) and DFS(vi), Fig. 4, over dotted lines 6 .. 9 for a mile race and over the chain lines for a lap. For the units all digits are required, ten lines 2À0407 multipled to DFS(vii), DFS(viii) being required. For the fractional tens, digits one and two only are required, banks of DAS, .. DES, similar to DAS (iii), being connected in parallel to lines 3À0407. For the fractional units, all digits are required, banks of DAS .. DES similar to DAS(iv) being connected in parallel thereto. When stepper CAS, Fig. 3, goes to position four at the end of the mile race, relays DQ, Fig. 4, and EL, Fig. 7, are energized over CAS(v), and lock over el1. Stepper EDS, Fig. 7, now proceeds to position six momentarily operating in turn the appropriate combinations of the display control relays EA, EB, EC, ED, in groups T (tens), U (units), FT and FU (fractional tens and units) over EDS(ii). Corresponding solenoids A .. D in a display unit, Fig. 16, as described in Specification 379,425, [Group XXXVIII], are thereby energized, the relays EG, EH operating in turn over ESD(i) to effect the display by energizing the release solenoids T, Fig. 16. Resetting. Key KMC, Fig. 11, is depressed causing the master checker to reset itself to position eighteen as described above. The sequence controller stepper CAS, Fig. 3, thereupon steps to normal. Relay DL, Fig. 4 operates and locks as CAS(iii) goes through position twelve, and causes steppers DFS, DES.. to home in turn. Relays DQ, EL, Fig. 7, de-energize as CAS(v) leaves position four, contact el3 providing a homing circuit for stepper EDS. Over EDS(i) a relay ER energizes to start the indicator resetting motor RM, Fig. 16, and as each unit homes +ve is reverted to the master checker for the normality test. Lap working. For lap and record purposes switch SMO, Fig. 11, is not depressed and key KSC is depressed just before the end of each lap to render the SP unit effective. The mile timer starts as before, but in addition the odd lap timer is started over contacts cot1, cfb2, Fig. 3. At the end of the first lap, the even lap timer is started over contacts cet1 and the odd timer stopped, the delay unit again being called upon as CAS steps from position three to four. In positions five, seven, and nine, corresponding to the end of laps two, three, and four, the conditions are again reversed ; in the last position, the mile timer also being stopped. The lap time displays are effected, as for the mile, by operation of relays DQ over CAS(v) in the even positions thereof, and persist only during the delay period, being removed as CAS steps to the odd contacts. The mile time is displayed as CAS steps to position eleven and persists until KMC is operated for resetting. Pacing. There are three pa